Remote control device

ABSTRACT

A remote control device and a method of assembly are provided. The remote control device may include a control unit and a holder. The holder may define a cavity that opens through a surface of the holder. The control unit may be seated in the cavity through the opening in the surface of the holder and recessed relative to the surface of the holder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/016,881, filed Feb. 5, 2016, entitled “Remote ControlDevice”, which application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e)of the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application No.62/115,947, filed Feb. 13, 2015, and entitled “Remote Control Device,”which applications are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a remote control device, andmore particularly to a remote control device including a holder and aremovable control unit.

BACKGROUND

Automated systems for the home, such as gates, shutters, blinds,awnings, and access doors, have become widespread. These automatedsystems typically are equipped with remote control devices that controloperation of the automated systems by electromagnetic radiation, such asinfrared radiation or radio waves. Sometimes a user may wish to changethe aesthetics, ergonomics, or functionality of a remote control device,such as the shape or user interface of the remote control device,without replacing the entire remote control device.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosure may include a remote control device foroperating an electronic device. In some embodiments, the remote controldevice may include a control unit, a holder, or a combination of acontrol unit and a holder. The holder may define a cavity that opensthrough a surface of the holder. The control unit may be seated in thecavity through the opening in the surface of the holder and may berecessed relative to the surface of the holder, such as to protect thecontrol unit from inadvertent or undesired contact.

The holder may define an access feature in the surface of the holderthat facilitates removal of the control unit from the holder. The accessfeature may be a recessed area that extends at least partially around aperiphery of the control unit. The recessed area may include a notchthat extends around a portion of the periphery of the control unit. Thecontrol unit may include an engagement feature arranged along an outerportion of a user interface of the control unit, and the engagementfeature may be aligned with the notch to facilitate removal of thecontrol unit from the holder. The engagement feature may at leastpartially define a recess aligned with the notch to facilitate removalof the control unit from the holder. The recessed area may be defined bya recessed surface that extends around the entire periphery of thecontrol unit. The holder may define a rim extending around the controlunit, and the recessed surface may extend rearwardly from the rimtowards a rear surface of the holder. The recessed surface may extendinwardly from the rim towards a side wall of the control unit. The notchmay be defined in the recessed surface.

The control unit and the holder may include corresponding retentionfeatures for retaining the control unit in the cavity of the holder. Thecontrol unit may include either multiple ribs or multiple grooves formedin a side wall of the control unit, and the either multiple ribs ormultiple grooves may extend lengthwise along a longitudinal axis of thecontrol unit. The holder may include the other of the either multipleribs or multiple grooves, and the other of the either multiple ribs ormultiple grooves may be formed in a side wall of the holder that definesthe cavity, and extend lengthwise along a longitudinal axis of thecavity. The multiple ribs may have a narrower width than the multiplegrooves.

The remote control device may include a wall mount that is removablyattachable to the holder. The wall mount may include a body and a pairof ears projecting radially outwardly from the body. The holder maydefine a pair of channels for receiving the pair of ears. The holder mayinclude an inner wall that defines a bottom of the cavity. The holdermay include an inner wall formed as a rim that defines a bottom seat forthe control unit.

In some embodiments, the remote control device may include a holderdefining a cavity opening through a surface of the holder for receivinga control unit of the remote control device, the holder further definingan access feature in the surface of the holder that facilitates removalof the control unit from the holder. The access feature may be arecessed area that extends at least partially around a periphery of thecavity. The recessed area may include a notch that extends around aportion of the periphery of the cavity. The recessed area may be definedby a recessed surface that extends around the entire periphery of thecavity. The holder may define a rim extending around the cavity, and therecessed surface may extend rearwardly from the rim towards a rearsurface of the holder. The recessed surface may extend inwardly from therim towards a side wall of the holder that at least partially definesthe cavity. The notch may be defined in the recessed surface. The holdermay define multiple grooves formed in a side wall of the holder that atleast partially defines the cavity, and the multiple grooves may extendlengthwise along a longitudinal axis of the cavity. The holder mayinclude an inner wall that defines a bottom of the cavity. The holdermay include an inner wall formed as a rim that defines a bottom seat forthe control unit.

Embodiments of the disclosure may include a method of assembling aremote control device. In some embodiments, the method includespositioning a control unit forwardly of a cavity that opens through asurface of a holder; aligning a longitudinal axis of the control unitwith a longitudinal axis of the cavity; aligning multiple retentionfeatures of the control unit with multiple corresponding retentionfeatures of the holder, the multiple retention features of the controlunit extending lengthwise along the longitudinal axis of the controlunit, and the multiple corresponding retention features of the holderextending lengthwise along the longitudinal axis of the holder; andinserting the control unit into the cavity by moving the control unittoward the holder along the longitudinal axis of the holder such thatthe multiple retention features of the control unit engage the multiplecorresponding retention features of the holder.

Inserting the control unit into the cavity may include inserting thecontrol unit into the cavity until the control unit is recessed relativeto the surface of the holder. The method may include aligning anengagement feature of the control unit with a notch formed in the holderprior to inserting the control unit into the cavity. The multipleretention features of the control unit may be ribs projecting outwardlyfrom a side wall of the control unit and spaced apart from one anotheraround the side wall. The corresponding retention features of the holdermay be grooves formed in a side wall defining the cavity and spacedapart from one another around the side wall. The method may includeattaching the holder to a wall mount. Attaching the holder to the wallmount may include aligning a pair of channels defined in the holder witha pair of ears projecting radially outwardly from a body of the wallmount, inserting the pair of ears through the pair of channels, androtating the holder relative to the wall mount. The method may includeabutting the control unit against an inner wall of the holder.

Embodiments of the disclosure may include a method of orienting a remotecontrol device. The method may include placing a single, unitary holderface up on a support surface so that a rear surface of the holdercontacts the support surface and a control unit received in the holderis accessible through a front surface of the holder. The method mayfurther include orienting the holder face down on the support surface sothat a front surface of the holder contacts the support surface and thecontrol unit is spaced apart from the support surface and does notcontact the support surface. The control unit may be removably receivedin the holder through an opening formed in the front surface of theholder.

Embodiments of the disclosure may include a method of interchanging themounting of a remote control device. The method may include placing acontrol unit of the remote control device in one of a plurality ofholders, removing the control unit from the one of the plurality ofholders, and placing the control unit in another of a plurality ofholders. The plurality of holders may include a first holder configuredfor mounting on a first support surface, and a second holder configuredfor being supported by, without being attached to, a second supportsurface. The second holder may have a cavity opening through a frontface thereof for receiving the control unit, and the cavity depth may beset so that a front face of the control unit is recessed relative to thefront face of the holder so that upon resting the front face of thesecond holder on the second support surface, the front face of thecontrol unit is spaced above and out of contact with the second supportsurface.

This summary of the disclosure is given to aid understanding, and one ofskill in the art will understand that each of the various aspects andfeatures of the disclosure may advantageously be used separately in someinstances, or in combination with other aspects and features of thedisclosure in other instances. Accordingly, while the disclosure ispresented in terms of embodiments, it should be appreciated thatindividual aspects of any embodiment can be claimed separately or incombination with aspects and features of that embodiment or any otherembodiment.

The present disclosure is set forth in various levels of detail in thisapplication and no limitation as to the scope of the claimed subjectmatter is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements,components, or the like in this summary. In certain instances, detailsthat are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or thatrender other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. Itshould be understood that the claimed subject matter is not necessarilylimited to the particular embodiments or arrangements illustratedherein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and,together with the general description given above and the detaileddescription given below, serve to explain the principles of theseembodiments.

FIG. 1 is front view of a remote control device in accordance with someembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the remote control device of FIG. 1 inaccordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an exploded, front isometric view of the remote control deviceof FIG. 1 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of a control unit of the remote controldevice of FIG. 1 in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, detail view of an access feature of the controlunit of FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 in accordance with someembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the control unit of FIG. 4 in accordance withsome embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the control unit of FIG. 4 in accordance withsome embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a holder of the remote control device of FIG.1 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the holder of FIG. 8 taken alongline 9-9 of FIG. 8 in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, detail view, taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9,of a retention feature formed in an internal wall of the holder of FIG.8 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the holder of FIG. 8taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 8 in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the remote control device of FIG. 1taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 2 in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, detail view of corresponding retention featuresof the remote control device of FIG. 1 taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the remote control device of FIG. 1taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 1 in accordance with some embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged, detail view of corresponding access and removalfeatures of the remote control device of FIG. 1 taken along line 15-15of FIG. 14 in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged, detail view of an interface between the controlunit of FIG. 4 and the holder of FIG. 8 taken along line 16-16 of FIG.14 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is an exploded, front isometric view of an alternative holderand a wall mount in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 18 is another exploded, rear isometric view of the alternativeholder and the wall mount of FIG. 17 in accordance with some embodimentsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a front view of the alternative holder and the wall mount ofFIG. 17 in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is an elevational view of a control unit in accordance with someembodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a rear view of a control unit in accordance with someembodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure generally provides a remote control deviceincluding a control unit and one or more holders for the control unit.The control unit may form a stand-alone electronic module or unit thatincorporates all of the functions and components needed to operate orcontrol the operation of an electronic device. In some embodiments, thecontrol unit includes a power supply (such as one or more batteries), acommunication circuit (such as a receiving circuit, a transmissioncircuit, or both) for communicating with the electronic device (such asby radio waves, infrared, or other suitable transmission methods), auser interface (such as an electronic display, one or more depressiblebuttons, or both), and a body for housing at least some of thecomponents of the control unit.

The control unit and the one or more holders may be separate, distinctcomponents. The control unit may be interchangeably seated in variousdifferent holders. The holders may differ from one another in variousaspects, such as aesthetics and/or function. In some embodiments, one ormore holders are configured to support the control unit on asubstantially horizontal support surface, such as a countertop, atabletop, a floor, or the like. In some embodiments, one or more holdersare configured to attach or secure the control unit to a substantiallyvertical support surface, such as a wall. A single control unit may beremovably received within an assortment of different holders.

The holders may each include a body defining a cavity or recess thatopens through a surface of the body. The body may include one or moreinternal side walls and an internal end wall defining the cavity. Insome embodiments, the internal end wall projects inwardly from the oneor more internal side walls and defines a closed bottom of the cavitysuch that the cavity includes a closed end associated with a rear sideof the holder and an open end associated with a front side of theholder. In some embodiments, the internal end wall projects inwardlyfrom the one or more internal side walls and defines an open bottom ofthe cavity. In these embodiments, the cavity is formed as a through-holeextending through the holder, and the internal end wall functions as anabutment wall for the control unit.

When seated in a holder, the control unit may be recessed into theholder to protect the control unit, particularly the front face of thecontrol unit, from damage or inadvertent activation regardless of theorientation of the holder. For example, a user may place the holderupside down to conceal the control unit from view without damaging oractivating the control unit. The holder may surround the side surfacesof the control unit such that the control unit is concealed when viewingthe remote control device from the side. In some embodiments, the holderalso encloses a rear surface of the control unit such that only a frontsurface of the control unit is accessible when the control unit isseated in the holder. In some embodiments, the holder is configured tobe supported face down to hide the working surface of the control unit,and the remote control device may blend into its environment and appearto be an ornamental object, rather than a remote control device.

The recessed nature of the control unit may make it difficult to removethe control unit from the holder. The control unit, the holder, or bothmay include one or more access, removal, or surface features tofacilitate removal of the control unit from the holder. In someembodiments, the holder includes a recessed area that extends at leastpartially along a perimeter or other portion of the control unit toenable a user to engage the control unit and remove the control unitfrom the holder. In some embodiments, the control unit may include asurface feature, such as a protrusion or recess, associated with aperimeter of the control unit to assist in removing the control unitfrom the holder. The surface feature of the control unit may beaccessible via the recessed area of the holder when the control unit isseated in the holder.

The recessed area of the holder may surround the cavity defined in theholder. The recessed area may include a first portion that surrounds thecontrol unit and a second portion formed in the first portion. The firstportion may be formed by a chamfered or other suitable surfacesurrounding the cavity of the holder. The second portion may extendrearwardly from the first portion toward the internal end wall of theholder to provide additional access to a portion of the control unit,such as a side wall of the control unit. When the control unit is seatedin the holder, the surface feature of the control unit may correspond tothe second portion of the recessed area of the holder to facilitateremoval of the control unit from the holder.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a remote control device 100 may include acontrol unit 102 and a holder or support 104. The control unit 102 maybe removably seated in the holder 104. When seated in the holder 104,the control unit 102 may be surrounded on its side and rear surfaces bythe holder 104. In some embodiments, the holder 104 defines a cavity 106that opens through a front surface 108 of the holder 104, and thecontrol unit 102 is removably seated in the cavity 106. The control unit102, including its user interface 110, may be recessed relative to thefront surface 108 of the holder 104 when seated in the cavity 106 (seeFIGS. 1-3, 14, and 15). The recessed nature of the control unit 102relative to the holder 104 may enable a user to position the remotecontrol device 100 in any orientation, such as upside down, on a supportsurface without damaging or inadvertently engaging the control unit 102or user interface 110.

Recessing the control unit 102 relative to the holder 104 may provide auser with many aesthetic options. For example, when the remote controldevice 100 is oriented upside-down, the holder 104 may conceal thecontrol unit 102 from view such that the control unit 102 does notdetract from the aesthetics or décor of the associated room. In thisupside-down orientation, the exterior shape or configuration of theholder 104 is visible to the user, and different holders may be formedin different exterior shapes or configurations to suit the aestheticpreferences of the user. In some embodiments, the front surface 108 ofthe holder 104 defines a rim 112 that extends forwardly of the userinterface 110 of the control unit 102. When the holder 104 is positionedupside down, the rim 112 may abut against a support surface, therebyoffsetting the user interface 110 from the support surface to protectthe user interface 110 from damage, inadvertent activation, or both.

The holder 104 may be formed in various configurations to provide theuser with many aesthetic options. In some embodiments, an assortment ofholders 104 are provided with various shapes, such as a triangular shapewith rounded edges, a cylindrical or ring shape, or other asymmetricalor symmetrical shapes, to provide the user with many aesthetic options.In some embodiments, an assortment of holders 104 are provided that areconstructed from various materials, including metallic and/ornon-metallic materials, which may be man-made or natural. In someembodiments, an assortment of holders 104 are formed of a polymericmaterial, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or Surlyn (acopolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid), some of which may be plated(e.g., with a vacuum metallized nickel plating). In some embodiments, anassortment of holders 104 are provided with different finishes, such asa MT-11005 surface texture, a brushed texture (e.g., a concentrichairline brush), a polish (e.g., a 6000-grit ultra-fine polish), acoating (e.g., a matte spray coating), or other suitable textures foraesthetic and/or functional purposes. In some embodiments, an assortmentof holders 104 are provided with different colors, such as black, white,gray, silver, blue, red, yellow, or other colors to provide the userwith many aesthetic options.

Although primarily ornamental, the exterior shape of the holder 104 mayprovide an ergonomic benefit. In some embodiments, the exterior shape ofthe holder 104 may facilitate single-handed use of the remote controldevice 100 by a user, and/or enhance the aesthetic aspect of the holder104 when not in use. Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 8, the holder 104 isdepicted as a laterally-extending body (in the plane of FIG. 1) having afront surface 108 and a rear surface 120, with a depth defined (in theplane of FIG. 2) between corresponding points of the front and rearsurfaces 108, 120. The front surface 108 may include a linear or planarportion or rim 112 and a continuously curved portion extendingrearwardly from the rim 112. The rear surface 120 may define acontinuously curved portion. An outer perimeter edge 105 may be formedat the intersection of the continuously curved portions of the front andrear surfaces 108, 120, and may define a generally triangular shape withrounded vertices 107 a, 107 b, 107 c. An external side wall of theholder 104 may be defined by side portions of the front and rearsurfaces 108, 120 of the holder 104 (see FIG. 2), and may be defined asa continuous curve extending around the perimeter edge 105.

The triangularly-shaped holder 104 may comfortably fit in the palm ofthe user's hand for either right-handed or left-handed use, therebyfacilitating one-handed use of the remote control device 100. Forinstance, with reference to FIG. 1, when held in a user's right hand,the vertex 107 b may be adjacent the user's thumb, the vertex 107 a maybe adjacent the user's forefinger, and the vertex 107 c may be adjacentthe user's little finger. The rear surface 120 of the holder 104 may bepositioned in the user's palm, and the user's fingers may wrap aroundthe perimeter edge 105 toward the front surface 108 of the holder 104.When held in a user's left hand, the vertex 107 a may be positionedbetween the user's thumb and forefinger, the vertex 107 c may beadjacent the user's little finger, and the user's remaining fingers maybe adjacent the vertex 107 b.

The optional recessed nature of the control unit 102 within the holder104 may increase the difficulty of removing the control unit 102 fromthe holder 104. With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, and 8-11, the holder 104may include an access, engagement, or removal feature 114 to facilitateremoval of the recessed control unit 102 from the holder 104. The accessfeature 114 may be defined in the front surface 108 of the holder 104.The access feature 114 may be formed as a recessed area 116 that extendsat least partially along a periphery or portion of the control unit 102and the cavity 106. In some embodiments, the recessed area 116 extendsaround the entire periphery of the control unit 102 and the cavity 106.The recessed area 116 may be defined by a recessed surface 118 thatextends around the entire periphery of the control unit 102 and thecavity 106. The recessed surface 118 may extend rearwardly from the rim112 towards a rear surface 120 of the holder 104, and may extendinwardly from the rim 112 towards side walls 122, 124 of the cavity 106and the control unit 102, respectively. The recessed surface 118 may beformed as a chamfer, a cove, a rabbeting, a round over, or othersuitable recessed profiles to facilitate removal of the control unit 102from the holder 104.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 8, and 11, the recessed area 116 mayinclude an accessibility enhancing feature such as a deepened portion ornotch 126 that extends along a portion of the control unit 102 and thecavity 106. The notch 126 may be defined in the recessed surface 118 andmay extend towards and through the side wall 122 of the cavity 106 (seeFIG. 11). The notch 126 may be deepest in a central region thereof, andtapered at the ends thereof. The central region of the notch 126 mayextend through the side wall 122 of the cavity 106, and the ends of thenotch 126 may smoothly transition into the recessed surface 118. Thenotch 126 may provide additional space between the control unit 102 andthe holder 104 to facilitate removal of the control unit 102 from theholder 104 as described in further detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 3-7, the user interface 110 of the control unit 102may be positioned along a front side of the control unit 102. The userinterface 110 may include one or more interactive features 128 (such asone or more depressible buttons, touch screen surfaces, or othersuitable interactive features). The interactive features 128 may includea centrally-located interactive feature 130, and one or more outer ringsof interactive features arranged concentrically around thecentrally-located feature 130. In some embodiments, the control unit 102includes a ring of interactive features 132 arranged concentricallyaround the centrally-located interactive feature 130 and a curvedsegment of interactive features 134 arranged concentrically around thecentrally-located interactive feature 130 and the ring of interactivefeatures 132. The curved segment of interactive features 134 may bearranged along an outer peripheral portion of the user interface 110 andmay, in conjunction with a portion of the unit intended for use inextracting the unit from the holder, surround the ring of interactivefeatures 132 and the centrally-located interactive feature 130.

In some embodiments, an engagement feature 136 is positioned betweenterminal ends of the curved segment of interactive features 134. Theengagement feature 136 may be formed as a curved segment defined by thesame or substantially the same radius as the curved segment ofinteractive features 134, and may be substantially indistinguishable inappearance from the curved segment of interactive features 134. In someembodiments, the engagement feature 136 is fixedly attached to a housing138 of the control unit 102 such that the engagement feature 136 is notmovable relative to the housing 138. In some embodiments, the engagementfeature 136 is inoperable to control an electronic device and is notassociated with any electronic circuitry housed within the control unit102. In some embodiments, the engagement feature 136 is formed as adummy, inoperable, or non-functional button that is fixed to the housing138.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the curved segment of interactive features 134and the engagement feature 136 may be spaced forwardly of the side wall124 of the control unit 102 and define a gap 139 between the interactivefeatures 134 and engagement feature 136 and a front surface 142 of theside wall 124. The gap 139 may permit a user to depress one or more ofthe interactive features 134 and cause the one or more interactivefeatures 134 to move toward the housing 138. Movement of the one or moreinteractive features 134 toward the housing 138 may cause the controlunit 102 to generate a control signal and transmit the control signalfrom the control unit 102 to an associated electronic device to controlthe operation of the electronic device. The interactive features 134 maybe formed as depressible buttons biased toward a non-depressed positionand may move into the non-depressed position when not acted upon by anexternal force sufficient to overcome the bias. The gap 139 between theinteractive features 134 and the side wall 124 and between theengagement feature 136 and the side wall 124 may be the same so that theinteractive features 134 are substantially flush or coplanar with theengagement feature 136. In some embodiments, the peripheral edge of theinteractive features 128 may be substantially aligned with an outersurface of the side wall 124 as illustrated in FIG. 6. In someembodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 20, the side wall 124 may surroundthe peripheral edge 143 of the interactive features 128 to inhibit theperipheral edge 143 of the interactive features 128 from being caught orsnagged on another object. As shown in the illustrative embodiment ofFIG. 20, the front surface 142 of the side wall 124 may be substantiallyflush with a front surface of the interactive buttons 128. In someembodiments, the peripheral edge 143 of the interactive features 128 maybe recessed relative to the side wall 124 to protect the interactivefeatures 128.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the control unit 102 may include a removalfeature to facilitate removal of the control unit 102 from the holder104. The removal feature may include the engagement feature 136, the gap139 defined between the engagement feature 136 and the front surface 142of the side wall 124, or both. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 15, theengagement feature 136 may be aligned with the notch 126 to facilitateremoval of the control unit 102 from the holder 104 when the controlunit 102 is seated in the cavity 106 of the holder 104. The alignment ofthe engagement feature 136 with the notch 126 may provide the user withadditional space around a portion of the periphery of the control unit102 to remove the control unit 102 from the holder 104 as described infurther detail below. The engagement feature 136 may be configured towithstand the force required to pry the control unit 102 from the holder104.

Referring still to FIGS. 4-6, the engagement feature 136 may define arecess 140 that enlarges the gap 139 between the front surface 142 ofthe side wall 124 and a rear surface 144 of the engagement feature 136to facilitate removal of the control unit 102 from the holder 104. Asshown in FIG. 6, a portion of the rear surface 144 of the engagementfeature 136 may be angled away from the front surface 142 of the sidewall 124 as the rear surface 144 extends towards an outer edge of theengagement feature 136 to define the recess 140 and thereby to enlargean entrance of the gap 139. The recess 140 may ease insertion of auser's fingertip or tool behind the rear surface 144 of the engagementfeature 136 to facilitate removal of the control unit 102 from theholder 104.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 12, and 13, the control unit 102 and the holder104 may include corresponding retention features 146 for retaining thecontrol unit 102 in the cavity 106 of the holder 104. In someembodiments, the retention features 146 are corresponding grooves andribs. The control unit 102 may include either multiple ribs or groovesformed in the side wall 124. The ribs or grooves may extend lengthwisealong and generally parallel to a longitudinal axis 148 of the controlunit 102 (see FIG. 3). The holder 104 may include the other of multipleribs or grooves, which may be formed in the side wall 126 of the holder104 and may extend lengthwise along a longitudinal axis 150 of thecavity 106 or otherwise be oriented to cooperate with the ribs orgrooves of the control unit 102. It will be appreciated that althoughthe following description of ribs and grooves references ribs on thecontrol unit 102 and grooves on the holder 104, the reverse arrangement,with ribs on the holder 104 and grooves on the control unit 102, is alsowithin the scope of the present disclosure.

With reference to FIGS. 3-7, the control unit 102 may include multipleribs 152 extending lengthwise along the longitudinal axis 148 of thecontrol unit 102. The ribs 152 may project outwardly from the side wall124, and may be equally spaced apart from one another around the sidewall 124. However, it will be appreciated that other configurations arewithin the scope of the present disclosure, such as unequal spacing ofthe ribs 152 from one another. The ribs 152 may have a convexcross-sectional profile, such as an arcuate, or curved, orsemi-circular, or half-dome convex cross-sectional profile.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 9-11, the holder 104 may likewise includemultiple grooves 154 extending lengthwise along the longitudinal axis150 of the holder 104. The grooves 154 may be recessed into the sidewall 122, and may be spaced apart from one another, equidistantly or notequidistantly, in the side wall 122. The grooves 154 may have across-sectional profile corresponding to the cross-sectional profile ofthe ribs 152, such as a concave cross-sectional profile, for example anarcuate, or curved, or semi-circular, or half-dome concavecross-sectional profile. In some embodiments, a single set of acorresponding rib 152 and groove 154 may have a differentcross-sectional profile than the remaining ribs 152 and grooves 154 toprovide a keying structure that ensures the engagement feature 136 isproperly aligned with the notch 126 upon insertion of the control unit102 into the holder 104.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the ribs 152 may have differentcross-sectional profiles than the grooves 154. In some embodiments, theribs 152 have a narrower width than the grooves 154 to facilitateinsertion and removal of the control unit 102 into and from the holder104 and to center the control unit 102 relative to the holder 104. Theouter tip or apex 156 of the ribs 152 may engage a bottom 158 of thegrooves 154 to frictionally secure the control unit 102 in the holder104. The ribs 152 may be formed of a resilient material, such as anelastomeric material, that compresses upon insertion into the grooves154 and provides an interference fit between the control unit 102 andthe holder 104, and expands when uncompressed.

With continued reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, the ribs 152 may be formedas a unitary part of an outer layer 160 of the side wall 124. The ribs152 and the outer layer 160 may be overmolded as a single structure ontoan inner layer 162 of the side wall 124. The inner layer 162 may beformed of a rigid material to provide rigidity to the side wall 124,whereas the outer layer 160 may be formed of a resilient material toenhance retention of the control unit 102 in the holder 104 and toprovide shock protection to the control unit 102. The resilient outerlayer 160 may enhance grippage of the control unit 102 when the controlunit 102 is removed from the holder 104. In some embodiments, the outerlayer 160 is formed of an elastomeric material, such as a thermoplasticelastomer.

The outer layer 160 of the control unit 102 may contact the side wall122 and an inner wall 166 (defining a bottom of the cavity 106) of theholder 104 to provide shock protection for the control unit 102 when itis seated in the holder 104. Referring to FIGS. 14 and 16, the outerlayer 160 may extend beyond a rear surface 168 of the inner layer 162.In some embodiments, the outer layer 160 wraps around the rear surface168 of the inner layer 162 and forms a rim 170 of resilient materialaround the rear surface of the control unit 102. When the control unit102 is seated in the holder 104, the rim 170 of the control unit 102 maycontact the inner wall 166 of the holder 104 to define a fully seatedconfiguration. In the fully seated configuration, the side wall 124 ofthe control unit 102 may be spaced apart from (e.g., not in contactwith) the side wall 122 of the holder 104 (see FIG. 13). In this fullyseated configuration, the ribs 152 may be seated in the grooves 154 tosecure the control unit 102 in the cavity 106 of the holder 104.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 12, 14, and 16, the control unit 102 may include aremovable rear cover 172. The rear cover 172 may be received on a rearside of the control unit 102 inwardly of the rim 170 of the outer layer160 of the side wall 124. The rear cover 172 may be recessed relative tothe rim 170 so that the rim 170 projects rearwardly of the rear cover172 and contacts the inner wall 166 when the control unit 102 is seatedin the holder 104. The rear cover 172 may enclose a rear side of thecontrol unit 102 and, when removed, may provide access to one or morebatteries, communication circuitry, or both of the control unit 102. Amovable latch 174 may be coupled to the rear cover 172 to selectivelyattach or detach the rear cover 172 to or from the control unit 102. Thelatch 174 may be movable between an open position where the latch 174 isdisengaged from the inner layer 162 of the side wall 124 and permitsremoval of the rear cover 172 from the control unit 102 and a closedposition where the latch 174 is engaged with the inner layer 162 andprevents removal of the rear cover 172 from the control unit 102. Insome embodiments, the latch 174 is slidable between the open and closedpositions. Additionally or alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 21, therear cover 172 may define a battery access feature, such as recess 175,for facilitating removal of the rear cover 172 from the control unit102. The recess 175 may be dimensioned to receive a coin for turning therear cover 172 relative to the control unit 102 to disengage the rearcover 172 from the control unit 102.

Referring to FIGS. 3-9, 12, and 14, the control unit 102 and the cavity106 of the holder 104 may have complementary shapes. In someembodiments, the control unit 102 has a substantially cylindrical shape.For example, the side wall 124 of the control unit 102 may becylindrical or substantially cylindrical and may be coaxially alignedalong the longitudinal axis 148 of the control unit 102. In theseembodiments, the cavity 106 may be formed as an open-ended cylinder. Forexample, the side wall 122 defining a depth of the cavity 106 may becylindrical or substantially cylindrical, and the inner wall 166 may beoriented perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the side wall122 and may define a closed bottom of the cavity 106. The cavity 106 mayinclude an open end opposite the inner wall 166 for ingress and egressof the control unit 102. The side walls 122, 124 may have a slight draftangle to facilitate insertion and removal of the control unit 102 intoand from the cavity 106. Although not shown, it should be understood thecontrol unit 102 and the cavity 106 may be formed in complementaryshapes other than cylindrical. For example, the side walls 122, 124 ofthe cavity 106 and the control unit 102 may be formed in variouspolygonal shapes, such as triangular, rectangular, octagonal, irregular,or other suitable shapes. The holder 104 may be formed of variousmaterials, including metallic and/or non-metallic materials, which maybe man-made or natural. In some embodiments, the holder 104 is formed ofa polymeric material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) orSurlyn (a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylic acid).

To assemble the remote control device 100, the control unit 102 may bepositioned forwardly of the cavity 106 adjacent the front surface 108 ofthe holder 104. The control unit 102 may be moved laterally intoalignment with the cavity 106 such that the longitudinal axis 148 of thecontrol unit 102 is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis 150 ofthe cavity 106. The control unit 102 may be rotated about itslongitudinal axis 148 to align the corresponding retention features 146,if provided, of the control unit 102 and the holder 104. The controlunit 102 then may be inserted into the cavity 106 by moving the controlunit 102 towards the holder 104 along the longitudinal axis 150 of theholder 104 such that the corresponding retention features 146 of thecontrol unit 102 and the holder 104 engage one another to retain thecontrol unit 102 within the cavity 106 of the holder 104. The retentionfeatures 146 of the control unit 102 may be formed as ribs 152projecting outwardly from the side wall 124 of the control unit 102. Theribs 152 may be spaced apart from one another around the side wall 124.The retention features 146 of the holder 104 may be formed as grooves154 defined in the side wall 122. The grooves 154 may be spaced apartfrom one another around the side wall 122 at corresponding locations tothe ribs 152. The ribs 152 and grooves 154 may be spaced regularly orirregularly around the respective side walls 124, 122 to controlalignment of the control unit 102 and the holder 104 and ensure theengagement feature 136 corresponds to the notch 126.

The control unit 102 may be inserted into the cavity 106 until thecontrol unit 102 is recessed relative to the front surface 108 of theholder 104. Upon full insertion of the control unit 102 in to the holder104, a rim 170 of resilient material formed along a rear side of thecontrol unit 102 may contact a bottom of the cavity 106, formed by theinner wall 166. In some embodiments, only the ribs 152 and the rim 170of the control unit 102 are in contact with the holder 104 when thecontrol unit 102 is fully seated in the holder 104. The side wall 124 ofthe control unit 102 may be spaced radially inwardly from the side wall122 of the holder 104, and the rear cover 172 of the control unit 102may be spaced forwardly of the inner wall 166.

Prior to inserting the control unit 102 into the cavity 106, theoptional engagement feature 136, such as a non-operative button, of thecontrol unit 102 may be aligned with a corresponding optional notch 126formed circumferentially adjacent the cavity 106 of the holder 104. Toremove the control unit 102 from the cavity 106 of the holder 104, theuser may place one or more of their finger nails or a suitable tool inthe recessed area 116, grip or otherwise engage the side wall 124 or theunderside of the engagement feature 136 of the control unit 102, andpull or pry the control unit 102 from the cavity 106. The user may use apry tool (such as a file, screwdriver, or other object with an elongate,slender tip) to pry the control unit 102 from the cavity 106 in the sameor similar manner, such as by positioning the tip of the tool throughthe notch 126 in the holder 104 and into the gap 139, and then applyinga forwardly-directed force to the engagement feature 136 to unseat thecontrol unit 102 from the holder 104. In some embodiments, the user mayposition an end of the tool in the notch 126, press the tool end againstthe side wall 124 or the engagement feature 136 of the control unit 102,and subsequently apply a rearwardly-directed force to a free end of thetool to pry the control unit 102 from the cavity 106 in a forwardlydirection.

Referring to FIGS. 17-19, an alternative holder 204 that may be usedwith the control unit 102 is depicted. In some embodiments, the holder204 is configured to be mounted to a support surface, whereas the holder104 is configured to not be mounted to a support surface. The precedingdiscussion of the features and operation of the holder 104 should beconsidered equally applicable to the holder 204, except as noted in thefollowing discussion pertaining to the holder 204. The referencenumerals used in FIGS. 17-19 correspond to the reference numerals usedin FIGS. 1-16 but are increased by 100 to reflect similar parts andcomponents.

With continued reference to FIGS. 17-19, the holder 204 may be formed inthe shape of a ring with an internal side wall 222 defining a cavity 206sized to receive the control unit 102. The cavity 206 may be open-ended,and may open through a front surface 208 and a rear surface 220 of theholder 204. An inner rim wall 266 may extend inwardly from the side wall222 near the rear surface 220 of the holder 204 to serve as an abutmentwall for the control unit 102 to abut against when inserted into theholder 204 from a front side of the holder 204 so that the control unit102 is not inadvertently pushed through and out of the holder 204.

When seated in the holder 204, the control unit 102 may be recessedrelative to the front surface 208 of the holder 204, similar to when thecontrol unit 102 is seated in the holder 104 (see FIGS. 1-3, 14, and15). To retain the control unit 102 in the holder 204, the external ribs152 of the control unit 102 may be received in internal grooves 254 ofthe holder 204. The rim 170 of the control unit 102 may abut against theinner rim wall 266, and the rear cover 172 of the control unit 102 maybe accessible from a rear side of the holder 204. In some embodiments,the rear cover 172 may be removed from the control unit 102 when thecontrol unit 102 is seated in the holder 204. To remove the control unit102 from the holder 204, a user may grasp the holder 204 and press onthe rear surface of the control unit 102 to push the control unit 102forwardly out of the holder 204.

Referring to FIGS. 17-19, the holder 204 may be removably attached to awall mount 176 to facilitate securing of the holder 204 to a supportsurface such as a vertical support surface, for example a wall. In theillustrated embodiment, the holder 204 has not only an open frontsurface (for mounting of the control unit therethrough), but also anopen rear surface to facilitate mounting of the holder 204 onto the wallmount 176. The holder 204 may include a pair of axially-extendingchannels 280 defined in the inner rim wall 266 and sized to permitpassage of a pair of ears 182 of the wall mount 176. The channels 280may be defined in the inner rim wall 266 diametrically opposite oneanother or in another relative orientation with respect to one another.A pair of seats 284 may be defined in the inner rim wall 266 and adaptedto receive the ears 182 of the wall mount 176 to attach the holder 204to the wall mount 176. The seats 284 may be angularly offset from thechannels 280 and may be formed in a front surface of the inner rim wall266. The seats 284 may be defined by a sloped wall 286 extendingtangentially around the cavity 206 toward a stop 288. The attachmentfeatures of the holder 204 and the wall mount 176 may form a bayonetmount.

With continued reference to FIGS. 17-19, the wall mount 176 may beformed as a circular disc or plate. The wall mount 176 may include abody 190, and the ears 182 may project radially outwardly from the body190. The body 190 may be sized to fit inside the inner rim wall 266,with the ears 182 sized to pass through the channels 280 and be rotatedonto the seats 284. The ears 182 and the seats 284 may have a combinedthickness approximately equal to the thickness of the inner rim wall 266so that when the holder 204 is attached to the wall mount 176, a frontsurface of the ears 182 is substantially flush or coplanar with a frontsurface of the inner rim wall 266.

Referring still to FIGS. 17-19, the wall mount 176 may be attachable toa support surface such as a substantially vertical support surface, forexample a vertical wall. The wall mount 176 may include two or moreapertures 192 defined in the body 190 of the wall mount 176. Eachaperture 192 may be configured to receive a fastener, such as a screw,to securely attach the wall mount 176 to the support surface. Thefasteners may be extended through the apertures 192 and secured to thesupport surface, thereby fastening the wall mount 176 to the supportsurface.

The holder 204 may attach the control unit 102 to a support surface suchas a substantially vertical support surface, for example a verticalwall. In some embodiments, the holder 204 is removably attached to thewall mount 176, and the control unit 102 optionally is removablyattached to the holder 204. As previously discussed, the wall mount 176may be securely fastened to a support surface. In the mountedconfiguration, the ears 182 may be offset from the support surface. Toattach the holder 204 to the wall mount 176, the holder 204 may bepositioned in front of the wall mount 176. The holder 204 may be rotatedabout its longitudinal axis until the channels 280 are aligned with theears 182 of the wall mount 176, and the holder 204 may be moved axiallytowards the wall mount 176. Upon the ears 182 passing through thechannels 280, the holder 204 may be rotated about its longitudinal axisto slide the ears 182 along the sloped surfaces 286 and into the seats284. The ears 182 may contact the stops 288 to indicate the holder 204is secured to the wall mount 176. In this secured configuration, theseats 284 may be positioned between the ears 182 and the supportsurface.

To detach the holder 204 from the wall mount 176, the holder 204 may berotated in an opposite direction about its longitudinal axis to alignthe channels 280 with the ears 182, and then the holder 204 may be movedaxially away from the wall mount 176 to move the ears 182 through thechannels 280 and free the holder 204 from the wall mount 176. Thecontrol unit 102 may be housed within the holder 204 during attachmentand detachment of the holder 204 to and from the wall mount 176, orplaced into the holder 204 after the holder 204 has been attached to thewall mount 176.

It will be appreciated that a remote control device formed in accordancewith principles of the present disclosure such as described above mayprovide a user with multiple holders configured to receive a singlecontrol unit. The holders may be interchanged with one another toprovide the user with different aesthetics, functionality, or both. Theholders may be configured to attach the control unit to a supportsurface and/or to support, yet not attach, the control unit to a supportsurface. Additionally, or alternatively, the holders may be configuredto conceal the control unit when supported by, yet not necessarilyattached to, a support surface, such as a table. The holders may beformed to display the control unit to provide access thereto, such aswhen attached to a surface, which may be a vertical support surface suchas a wall. The holders may be formed as independent, unitary structures.

In some embodiments, one or more holders enclose or surround the sidesurfaces of the control unit, leaving the front surface of the controlunit exposed. The control unit, when mounted in the holder, may berecessed relative to the front surface of the holder, such as to protectthe front surface of the control unit, for example when the holder issupported face-down on a support surface. A user may remove the controlunit from the holder by applying a force to a rear surface of thecontrol unit to push the control unit forwardly through the opening inthe front surface of the holder, particularly if the rear surface of thecontrol unit is not covered or otherwise rendered inaccessible (or notreadily accessible) by the presence of the holder. The holder may beconfigured to facilitate removal of the control unit from the front faceof the holder. To facilitate removal of the control unit from the frontof the holder, the holder may include a recessed area disposed around aperimeter of the control unit. The control unit may include a dummybutton or other engagement feature that is alignable with a deepenedportion of the recessed area for engagement by a user and/or tool tofacilitate removal of the control unit from the holder.

The foregoing description has broad application. While the providedembodiments include a substantially circular-cross-section,cylindrically-shaped control unit, it should be appreciated that theconcepts disclosed herein may equally apply to many shapes of controlunits, for example shapes with elliptical or polygonal cross-sections.Additionally, or alternatively, while the provided embodiments generallyinclude a control unit with depressible buttons, it should beappreciated that the control unit may include an electronic userinterface with non-depressible buttons. Additionally, or alternatively,the remote control device may be applicable in controlling manydifferent types of electronic equipment, including coverings for anarchitectural opening. Accordingly, the discussion of any embodiment ismeant only to be explanatory and is not intended to suggest that thescope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to theseembodiments. In other words, while illustrative embodiments of thedisclosure have been described in detail herein, it is to be understoodthat the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied andemployed, and that the appended claims are intended to be construed toinclude such variations, except as limited by the prior art.

The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustrationand description and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the formor forms disclosed herein. For example, various features of thedisclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, orconfigurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. However,it should be understood that various features of the certain aspects,embodiments, or configurations of the disclosure may be combined inalternate aspects, embodiments, or configurations. Moreover, thefollowing claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Descriptionby this reference, with each claim standing on its own as a separateembodiment of the present disclosure.

The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or”, as used herein,are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive inoperation.

The term “a” or “an” entity, as used herein, refers to one or more ofthat entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “atleast one” can be used interchangeably herein.

All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upper, lower,upward, downward, left, right, lateral, longitudinal, front, back, top,bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, radial, axial, clockwise,and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aidthe reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not createlimitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use ofthis disclosure. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled,connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and may includeintermediate members between a collection of elements and relativemovement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such,connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements aredirectly connected and in fixed relation to each other. Identificationreferences (e.g., primary, secondary, first, second, third, fourth,etc.) are not intended to connote importance or priority, but are usedto distinguish one feature from another. The drawings are for purposesof illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order, and relativesizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto may vary.

What is claimed is:
 1. A remote control device comprising: a controlunit; and a holder including a cavity, the control unit is configuredfor insertion into the cavity of the holder; wherein the control unitand the cavity formed in the holder have complementary shapes, thecontrol unit includes control unit retention features and a side wall ofthe cavity formed in the holder includes corresponding holder retentionfeatures, each of the control unit retention features being contoured toengage with one of the holder retention features to prevent relativerotation of the control unit and the holder when the control unit isseated within the cavity of the holder and the corresponding controlunit and holder retention features are engaged with each other; andwherein the holder has an asymmetrical ergonomically exterior shapearranged and configured to facilitate single-handed use of the remotecontrol device.
 2. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein thecontrol unit retention features include one of a plurality of ribs or aplurality of grooves formed in a side wall of the control unit, andwherein the plurality of ribs or grooves extend lengthwise along alongitudinal axis of the control unit.
 3. The remote control device ofclaim 2, wherein the holder retention features includes the other one ofthe plurality of ribs or the plurality of grooves, and extend lengthwisealong a longitudinal axis of the cavity.
 4. The remote control device ofclaim 3, wherein the plurality of ribs have a narrower width than theplurality of grooves.
 5. The remote control device of claim 1, wherein:the control unit has an exterior side wall; and the cavity has aninterior side wall, the exterior side wall of the control unit and theinterior side wall of the cavity have complementary circular shapes toenable relative rotation between the control unit and the cavity formedin the holder prior to engagement of the corresponding control unit andholder retention features.
 6. The remote control device of claim 1,wherein the control unit has a first exterior shape different from theasymmetrical exterior shape of the holder.
 7. The remote control deviceof claim 6, wherein the asymmetrical exterior shape of the holder isnon-circular.
 8. The remote control device of claim 6, wherein theasymmetrical exterior shape of the holder is a triangular shape withrounded edges.
 9. The remote control device of claim 8, wherein thetriangularly-shaped holder is arranged and configured to fit in a palmof a user's hand for either right-handed or left-handed use.
 10. Theremote control device of claim 1, wherein the control unit includes afront surface and a rear surface, the front surface including a rim anda continuously curved portion extending rearwardly from said rim. 11.The remote control device of claim 10, wherein the rear surface includesa continuously curved portion.
 12. The remote control device of claim 1,wherein the holder includes an inner wall extending across the cavity todefine a closed bottom end of the cavity.
 13. A method of assembling aremote control device including a control unit and a holder including acavity, the method comprising: aligning the control unit with the cavityformed in the holder so that the control unit is orientated in a desiredposition relative to the cavity formed in the holder; and inserting thecontrol unit into the cavity formed in the holder to engage control unitretention features with holder retention features to retain the controlunit within the cavity of the holder; wherein engagement of the controlunit retention features with the holder retention features preventrelative rotation of the control unit with respect to the holder; andwherein the holder has an asymmetrical exterior shape.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the control unit retention features include one of aplurality of ribs or a plurality of grooves formed in a side wall of thecontrol unit, and the holder retention features include the other one ofthe plurality of ribs or the plurality of grooves formed in the cavityof the holder.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the control unit andthe cavity formed in the holder have complementary circular orcylindrical shapes.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the control unitincludes a first exterior shape different from the asymmetrical exteriorshape of the holder.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the secondexterior shape of the holder is a triangular shape with rounded edges.18. The method of claim 16, wherein the asymmetrical exterior shape ofthe holder is ergonomically shaped to facilitate single-handed use ofthe remote control device.